Feed chute and guide for can body carrying turrets



Sept. 25, 1951 E. LAXO 2,569,180

FEED CHUTE AND GUIDE FoR CAN BODY CARRYING TURRETS Filed Jan. 25, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. E0 44x0 E. LAXO Sept. 25, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 25, 1947 I H y 6 W R "WW 0 Z m m M 1 J IIMWLWI m m D F.

Sept. 25, 1951 LAXO 2,569,180

FEED CHUTE AND GUIDE FOR CAN BODY CARRYING TURRETS Filed Jan. 25, 1947 I 3 Sheets-Sheet @D J L :GD /Jj INVENTOR. 56. 4 50 Law 777W 7ffi w m Patented Sept. 25, 1951 AND, GUIDE. FQRQAN'BODY CARRYING TUBRET'S' Ed :Laxc, oaklanmjrcalifi, assignor-xto Atlasv Im- PcriaLDiesetE-nuinc (30., Qakland; Calif acor- Application January'25, 1947'; Serial No."7 2-4;? 78

This invention relates to machines-for forming flanges on the ends of can bodies.

An object of the invention is to provide comparatively rigid supports for adjustabl-y mounting the feed chute or hopper of a can-body end flanger, which also serve as braces for: the irame of the machine, resisting end thrusts incident to the flanging operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved discharge chute in a can body end flanger.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved extractor device for removing flanged can bodies from an end 'flanging machine.

One form which the invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated 'by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine for forming end flanges on can bodies.

Fig. 2 is a section, on an enlarged 'scale, taken along the line 22 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a partial rear elevation as seen from line 44 inthe lower left portion of Fig. 2;

The machine disclosed in the drawings ineludes a bed plate ll] supported on a plurality of legs II and having end supports or standards l2 secured to its upper surface, as by means-of bolts l3 or the like. The left end of the machine supports an adjusting mechanism 1'4 for a hanging turret 15, and the right standard forms a gear case containing a transmission (not-shown) for rotating the main drive shaft t6 .of'the machine which is capable 'of rotating both the right and left turrets I], 15 keyedto it. The right turret l1 and left turret I are oppositely.arrange'dfand a description of one will sufiice fonboth.

Details of the adjusting mechanism may: :be found in my application for "Can Body End Flanger, Serial No. 724,359, "filed January :25; 1 94.7;

The turrets each include '53) turretwhea'd 'l 8 rotatable with the main shaft of the machine by meansxof a key [9 secured in the turret head and received within 'a keyway 20 in theshaft. Eachhead has a plurality of slides 2|: reciprocably mounted in its outer portion "and uniformly spaced therearound. The inner end :of eachslide carries a die 22 secured to it byrmeans pf a .cap screw '23 which-serves to clampa ring 124 :between the die and the slide. Theiouteriend-rof.eachrslide has a shaft 25 mounted in it withcan inwardlyprotecting .sha'ftportion :26 on which follower rollers zfltar-e rotatably mounted. These rollers are designedfto :ride within the peripheral groove 28 of an axial cam 29 fixed against rotation with respect to the shaft l6. Each axial cam has'an inward offset portion. 29a. forethe purposeof pro gressivelysmoving-the cam slides 2.! and their-zdies 22 inwardly during their revolution with .the mainshaft.

A turret end plate. 30' is secured on .the :inner end of each head l8 and is provided-with pockets 3|. adapted to receive can bodies which are :in alignment with the slides 21; and dies :22; The can bodies are .fed into the machine through a feed chute or hopper- 32' on top of the machine, which includes a pair of opposed side members 33-slidably and" adjustably mounted on spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending guide rods 34, secured in the upper end of. each standard 12. As disclosed in the drawings, each end of each rod extends into a bore or pocket 35"in a standard, to which "it is firmly secured in position b-ymeans of a set-screw 36 threaded into a cooperable boss 31 on each standard and bearing firmly against the flattened upper surface 340. of each .rod or shaft. These rods 34' are rigid and are capable of supporting the 'feed' chute or hopper alone without deflecting and without the necessity for any other supporting mechanism.

The lower end of each guide member 33 has bosses 38 through which the guide shafts 34 -ex tend. Set screws '39 are threaded into the "bosses 38 and'bear against the upper flattened surface 34aof .each shaft to "hold the chute sides 33 in proper spaced relationwith respect to each other and with respect tothe cam turrets l5, H. The side members 33 of the feed chute are appropriately adjusted to accommodate can bodies of-differ ent heights or lengths. These members also carry vertically arranged front and rear members 40, 4| oppositely disposed with respect to each other and adjustably secured to the side members 33, as by means of bolts 42 extending through the front and rear members and through horizontal slots '43 in the side members, The, front and rear members 40, 4| are appropriately adjusted to accommodate can "bodies of different diameters.

The can bodies drop down through the feed chute 3'2 into the aligned pockets 31in the turret end plates '30. They are then revolved with the turrets 1.5, H, whose opposed slide members 21' are simultaneouslymoved toward :one another against therends :Of the can bodies "by the fixed ax-iaLcams-29ttaform the end fiangesinza kmwn manner. As the can bodies revolve around the axis of the shaft l6, they are guided by spaced, curved chute guide members 44 extending upwardly from the base IU of the machine and also supported by the rear upper guide rod shaft 34. Such support occurs through securing the upper ends ofthe guides 44, by means of cap screws or the like, to brackets 45 depending from and integral with the rear bosses 38 through which the rear shaft 34 extends. The lower foot portions 46 of the intermediate curved guide members 44 are adapted to be clamped against a bracket 41, bolted to the bed plate It), by a clamp bar 48 extending longitudinally n the machine and through which screws 49 extend into threaded engagement with the bracket 41. The opposed curved chute members 44 are appropriately adjusted lengthwise of the machine with the side members 33, then held in such adjusted position by tightening the upper set screws 39 and by tightening the lower screws 49 to move the clamp bar'48 inwardly and clamp the foot portions 46 of the curved members 44 between the bar 48 and the bracket 41.

':Following formation of the end flanges on the can bodies, they are discharged sequentially into a discharge chute 50 upon their release by a can extractor The discharge chute consists of opposed side members 52 havin outwardly directed, longitudinally extending brackets 53 resting upon the bed plate In of the machine. The side members are adjustable relative to each other and with respect to the remainder of the machine by bolts 54 extending through longitudinal slots 55 in the bracket and threaded into the base of the machine. Loosening of these bolts 54 permits the side members 52 of the discharge chute to be adjusted, and their tightening holds su'ch members in appropriate adjusted positions. The brackets 53 and side members 52 are guided forappropriate longitudinal movement, and are held against turning by a longitudinal key 56 received within opposed grooves 51, 58 in the brackets 53 and bed plate ID of the machine. :1 It is to be noted that the sides 52 of the discharge chute 50 have inwardly extending flanges 59 provided with grooves 50 spaced inwardly from their inner edges, and capable of receiving the flanges formed on the can bodies without such flanges bearing downwardly against the discharge chute. The portion of each flange 59 of the discharge chute between the groove or channel 60 and its inner edge supports the cylindrical portion of the can body and prevents any supporting load from being imposed on the can body flange itself, which load might otherwise distort the flange.

The can bodies with the end flanges formed thereon proceed around the machine in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 2, toward the front of the machine. They are extracted from the turrets by a can extractor arm 6| extending inwardly of the machine and clamped around a shaft 62 oscillatably mounted in a boss or bearing support 63 on the upper end of the right bracket 53. The shaft 52 extends through the boss.63 where a leg 64 is suitably secured to it, whose free end may engage the bracket. This end is urged into engagement with the bracket by a helical spring 65 on the outside of the bracket 53 bearing against the latter, and whose other end bears against a nut 66 threaded on a bolt 61 extending through the spring and bracket, with the head end 68 of the bolt engaging the inner surface of the leg 64. The spring 65 tends' to move the leg 64 outwardly, and through rotation of the shaft 62, shifts the can extractor arm 6| downwardly to a position in which it will engage the can bodies, free them from the turrets, and cause them to drop onto the discharge chute 50.

It is apparent that a can body end flanger has been provided in which the guiding mechanism for the chute is readily adjustable and compactly arranged. The upper feed chute or hopper 32 is supported by the rigid upper shafts or rods 34 themselves, without the necessity for any intervening supporting mechanism. These rods not only serve as the supports for the guides 33, 44, but also as tie rods or end braces serving to resist the end thrusts imparted to the vertical standards I2 of the machine as a result of the flanging operation on the can bodies. Followin the formation of these flanges, they are extracted from the turrets and are guided through the discharge chute 50 without damage being imparted to the flanges themselves, in view of the channels or grooves 6|] in .the side members 52 of the discharge chute.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A can body end flanger, including a bed plate, a pair of spaced supports secured to said bed plate, a drive shaft rotatably mounted in said supports, a pair of opposed can body carrying turrets connected to said drive shaft, spaced parallel rigid guide members extending between and secured to said supports, opposed feed chute side members mounted on said guide members for directing can bodies between said turrets, longitudinally spaced curved can body guides disposed around said turrets, said curved guides having their upper ends mounted on said guide members and the lower ends adjustably clamped to said bed'plate, and means for adjustably securing said side members and curved guides to said guide members.

2. A can body end flanger, including a bed plate, a pair of spaced supports secured to said bed plate, a drive shaft rotatably mounted in said supports, a pair of opposed can body carrying turrets connected to said drive shaft, spaced parallel rigid guide members extending between and firmly secured to said supports, opposed feed chute side members mounted on said guide members for directing can bodies between said turrets, longitudinally spaced curved can body guides disposed around said turrets, said curved guides having their upper ends mounted on said guide members, a bar for clamping the lower ends of said curved guides to said bed plate, and screws threaded into said side members and bearing against said guide members for securing said side members to said guide members.

3. A machine of the character described, comprising a pair of spaced supports, a rotatable drive shaft supported thereby, a turret connected to said shaft for rotation therewith and operable to receive can bodies or the like at a receiving station and to rotate the same to a delivery station, a, rigid longitudinal member extending between and supported by said supports, a receiving chute for delivering can bodies to said receiving station and a, guide for guiding cans from said receiving station to said delivery station, the sides of said delivery chute and guide being interconnected and supported by said longitudinal member to be adjustable as a unit and said guide having a curvature such as to abut can bodies and to guide the same between said stations.

4. A machine of the character described, comprising a pair of spaced supports, a rotatable drive shaft supported thereby, a turret connected to said shaft for rotation therewith and operable to receive can bodies or the like at a receiving station and to rotate the same to a delivery station, a rigid longitudinal member extending between and supported by said supports, a receiving chute for delivering can bodies to said receiving station and a guide for guiding cans from said receiving station to said delivery station, said receiving chute and guide being formed of spaced side members, the side members of said chute being clamped to said longitudinal member for longitudinal adjustment and the side members of said guide being clamped to the side members of said chute.

' ED LAXO.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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